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This year’s snowfall combined with a rapid melt, and still frozen ground resulted in some of the most significant flooding we have seen in several years.

Our house is less than a mile (as the crow flies) but a little over a mile (by road) to a Minnesota River Crossing at Jordan - Scott County CR9 or Carver County CR11 (Depending on which side of the bridge you are on).

Back in 2001 Scott and Carver Counties, along with MNDot, and the Minnesota DNR completely rebuilt the old river crossing and boat landing (which flooded over almost every year). Here are some photos I took of that bridge a day before they closed it to traffic, tore it down, and rebuilt it.

I was certain I took some photos of the new bridge days after it opened, but I am unable to find them (at least as of right now….)

(All photos are described below, and are clickable for slightly larger imagoes)

The Minnesota River was expected to Crest on Monday or Tuesday, but since it was a nice Sunday evening and everyone was home – we decided to make an adventure out of exploring the flood zone (to the extent that we could. We loaded up the van, grabbed the neighbor’s boy (VERY good friends with #2 and #3 of 5) and headed out!)

Left - We drove to the Boat Landing – and found all but a few parking spaces were all taken up by the flood.

Right - The kids got out and started exploring. In the photo to the right, you can see the kids standing on a center island in the parking lot. The water had crept up and over part of the median. The day before, I was able t drive my car around this same median.

Left - A few more shots of the flooded boat landing.

Right - There is GeoCache that is located in this photo. You can’t see the cache, but you can see the “beacon”. The cache should be pretty safe – it was still another five feet up from the water’s surface.

Left - Another shot from the lot – there is the center island the kids were standing on (and that I had driven around the day before.

Right - The kids spotted the watermark on the pavement marked by the DNR earlier that day. If you look close enough (just above the 3-21 you can see the water line)

Electrical pole… Partially underwater (from a couple of different views)

Left - Another view of the same pole – this time from the bridge deck.

Right - Photo on the right is looking NB over the bridge from the Scott County side. Road closed sign and “jersey barriers” blocking all traffic.

Left - A view across the river from the bridge deck .

Right - A view of the river from the same spot – looking east out over the river.

Left – Looking back at the boat landing from the middle of the bridge deck

Right – Flooded wood – Carver County side of the bridge.

Left – More of the flooded woods.

Right – Now over the bridge, we are on Carver County Road 11 – this is the weak point of the crossing – the road was not raised enough above “flood stage” to prevent the river overflow from reaching and overtaking the roadway.

Left - More flooded woodsy areas – NW corner of the bridge

Right – Hiking trail…

Approaching the flooded roadway

More of the flooded roadway. The kids (and other gawkers) all wanted to know why the ripples only happened in this one spot. It’s due to the crest in the road. The center of the road is a “peak” and as the water is forced over the crest it squeezes the same volume of water into a smaller space creating the wake that you see (similar to the graphics that depict a tsunami wave)

Left - More of the ripple effect, and way off in the distance you can see the “No Passing Zone” sign

Right – Zooming in on the “No Passing Zone” sign from the previous photo

#4 of 5, #3 of 5, and “The neighbor kid” standing in the middle of freeway at the floodwater’s edge.

Left - Heading back to the van.

Right – Photo specifically to answer an “AtHomeDaddy” question – he asked me on facebook if the “FOF Compound” was safe from the floodwaters. I told him that we are up a pretty significant hill from the actual river, so I took this photo to show him the hill. It would take a flood of BIBLICAL proportions before our house would be threatened by Minnesota River flooding (due the the elevation)

Left – Another view of the hill from the bridge. Note the kids stopping to watch the river.

Right - #4 of 5 contemplating the river

Left – #4 of 5 throwing items off the bridge into the river.

Right – Almost back to the boat landing. (Boat landing is on the left)

Left - Another view of the boat landing as we headed back

Right – A flooded parking lot on the Western side of the road. This lot is for a hiking and horseback riding trail. There is also a picnic area here.

Left – See… What did I tell you – a picnic ground!

Right – the flooded field where the picnic grounds can be found (tables are off to the left – but off the photos)

From here, we headed back into town to check out Sand Creek, and Lagoon Park Falls at Sand Creek. I am not going to describe all the photos. They are all pretty much the same – flooded river creates a strong waterfalls!

And, finally – I’ll end this with a quick photo of #4 of 5 taking and throwing a last few items into the river to watch them go over the falls…

As you can tell, it was starting to get dark out, and since it was a school morning in the AM – it was time to head back home.

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These are tales...

These are tales from the life of a chronically tired Father of five who lives in a high stress household, works a high stress career, and copes with daily struggles of guilty feelings for not having the time he would like to spend with his family.

I am keeping this blog as a collection of thoughts for my children (but others are welcome to enjoy too). Someday I hope they have they chance to read this and get just a small glimpse into the mind of their father.

My work and our hectic family lifestyle keeps me very busy. I hate to admit this but sometimes so busy that I don't spend as much time with my kids and family as I want to, or as I should....

Living the life of a chronically tired Father of five who lives in a high stress household, works a high stress career, and copes with daily struggles of guilty feelings for not having the time he would like to spend with his family.